Kraton Brand new arrma kraton v2 issues possibly-questions

[spence]

Hi all, I awaited this for a while, I spent $500 on an arrma kraton v2 rtr, and it came with two lectron pro 5200 50c 2s packs, I noticed that the center diff bleeds a lot of the power to the front, I feel I need to tune that... Anyways, it appears the front driveshaft might be bent! After the 1st run! This is my first ever arrma product, I know arrma is associated with hobbico, and team durango... hobbico is axial... Idk I only ran 4s not even a full pack, I really like the truck, but I didn't beat it to hell either! I think arrma would happily cover it, but is it possible the front prop shaft isn't bent? I need help I just got it today..


Thanks
-Spence

 

[mrbelloso]

Photos to see the shaft

 

[spence]

FYI I got this guy today here is a video:

even in the dim lighting you can see something is up! That shaft is bent! Should send a customer support email to arrma? I feel this should be covered under warranty. If you want proof I bought this truck TODAY and ran it today, the boxes are still in my room and I didn't do anything that I didn't think it couldn't handle.. I noticed yes the center diff needs tuning? I mean it needs to blow that power to the rear not the front, none of the other shafts appear to be bent on the whole truck. What did I do wrong, this was my first run and I didn't do anything crazy, I didn't even flip it over yet! This went from yay excitement to oh crap what do I do now, yes I know rc's break but I didn't think this fast! I am not very happy right now... maybe this was a factory defect? I didn't even bash hard... Nothing broke otherwise

 

[chalmene]

Kinda hard to tell from that video man, they do ride a bit loose, so it could be just that. Only way to really tell is to pull it and check. Pull the shaft, lay the shaft portion on a true surface (piece of glass or similar), roll it and see if you notice any bends. Pretty easy to straighten out with a vice or something. I will say I've had no issues with the center shafts. I have however had my diff-to-wheel shafts bend a bit from hard impacts, but I drive it pretty hard on 6s. I just remove them and straighten out as I described. The Arrma shafts are some of the beefiest I've seen, but like most things, they aren't bulletproof.

 

[spence]

Thanks, seems factory bent then... I pulled the front end apart to remove the dogbone, and I rolled it on a flat surface, it appears to be bent, not trying to be a stickler, I just don't want to shorten the life of an already short life part. I think I was so excited for my truck that I didn't notice the bend it is likely that it was there when I got it...


I really enjoyed 4s but lol I kinda want more but I only ran it once, and really didn't go that hard on it, I didn't flip it yet on its back, I really didn't give it a run for its money really much at all, even arrma would agree, I seen videos of the arrma kraton being thrashed hard, like crashing really bad and I did none of that I was pretty gentle. It has a pretty good curve to it doing the bend check test with rolling it. I did a few launches just getting to know the truck and other stuff... Indicated aswell, the motor didn't get very hot at all, I feel it had plenty left in it...

I was a bit rude in my request to arrma, because I was and still am upset, I wasn't terrible, but yea I conveyed that I am not happy and I worked very hard for the truck, I have a 20ton press, maybe I should straighten it? I feel I should wait and see what arrma says. I always seem to get a good product that people have said is excellent and then I seem to find fault with it and or break it, maybe I didn't break this one, most likely I didn't, none of the other shafts on the truck bent, which leaves me suspicious of a factory defect. Sorry to swamp you guys, I am just anxious and upset with my new truck its giving me grief right now sorry to say, I know its a great truck, I may have got a slight problem child I guess it seems. I still don't think it was me that bent that shaft tho I am confused

 

[chalmene]

I don't know about putting it in a press, doubt that will do the trick. I take the bent shaft and secure about 1/4 of the length in a vice. Then gently bend it in the direction it needs to go. Then I check again, and bend more if necessary till it rolls pretty flat. Personally I would just take this time to practice straightening them, as you will most likely have to in the future anyway.

 

[mrbelloso]

Also don't email them, give them a call and they will sort it out straight away. Just say that you opened it and you were checking the truck and you notice the bent central shaft and ask for a new one.

 

[Vanning]

When I got my brand new Kraton....first thing I noticed was the front diff action binding. It wasn't the diff but it was the angle of the dog bones entering the diff. All I had to do was adjust the set screws that lift the A-arms up a hair. I'm not sure if that had anything to do with the front drive shaft but since we are talking brand new and front drive....I thought I would mention my findings also. With my set screws adjusted...the front diff spins smooth.

 

[spence]

Well oops I sent an email, but I will give them a call then... Should I just reply to the email saying to disregard the email? It is kind of immediate cause I am losing my faith and my confidence in this supposedly great truck is immediately changed... in this arrma kraton very quickly after spending $500 of my money and being instantly disappointed, and giving it its first run and finding a bent dog bone... I would almost say I would get parts quicker if I spent the $20 for a new pair of center shafts and just forget the warranty...

Even if I told them it was after I ran it, the wear and tear part of the warranty would cover that... Straightening it may be a little risky as I could break it. I am very disappointed right now... Judging by how much punishment this truck was designed to take I feel the dogbone wasn't me, I feel that was a factory defect. I didn't pound it... What also worries me is that many of the center cvd shaft sets have been sold on ebay.

What also annoys me is I feel I am the only one that is having drivetrain problems 1 run out of the box. I will call arrma I guess and make it right. I did notice the front diff binding a little, I may need to lower it, but I still don't think that is what twisted the front prop shaft tho. Should I just put it back together run it and wait or? I mean I think I would cause drivecup damage the way it is bent would likely help it saw through the drivecups... Kind of odd how the left front driveshaft is a little bent too, what is going on here?

Well I will call today after work hopefully they are open at 5:00pm but I think they are 2 hours behind. I feel this was factory the way this was, these dogbones are strong, I think they would rather twist up like pretzels than bow.. I don't think running on dead grass and loose gravel on 4s would twist a driveshaft, I feel that is a factory issue... I didn't crash into anything, none of the other axles are bent either on the whole truck... I feel if people have been running 6s and saying how marvelously durable this thing is, I feel I have a factory defect part that somehow slipped through inspection at the factory

I will let you guys know how I make out I mean I am not really phased by this just upset, I think its a great truck, its totally beefy but I think I got a factory defect front propeller shaft... I think anyway I will be tuning the center diff with 500k fluid anyway cause I didn't like that I got no wheelies just front wheel burnouts... I think this is a great truck and how everybody else said they didn't really have center shaft issues even running 6s

 

[Vanning]

It happens. Should be a simple fix.

 

[Swerny]

Spence, take a deep breath and call Arrma. They will make it right.

 

[Stanleybb50]

Spence, take a deep breath and call Arrma. They will make it right.

Haha like he said.

But if it were me, I woulda just bent that sucker back and kept rolling.. Or better yet, I honestly don't think I would have noticed that amount of bending at all to be perfectly honest. Haha.

Either way - don't stress! I understand about the losing confidence. Please don't let that happen though! Not sure what happened, but the Kraton overall is a great vehicle!

And again - take a breath and call them

 

[Vanning]

One of my best skills from my days of flying RC helicopters. How do make a bent shaft straight again. It takes some practice but it can be done.

 

[Stanleybb50]

How do make a bent shaft straight again. It takes some practice but it can be done.

***That's what she said!!!!!!***

 

[chalmene]

***That's what she said!!!!!!***

Swear I almost did this earlier.

 

[spence]

well, arrma has offered to send me 2 new front cvds and two center cvds.. Now all I have to do is wait for the other email... Should I do the 500k center diff mod? I feel the truck needs power to the back not the front I really don't think my running that I did really bent the driveshafts tho, none of the others are bent. I I gave them the proof of purchase... Now I wait for order confirmation... Very nervous as I wait, do you guys think I bent the front center cvd and a front left shaft running 4s? I think it was like that from the factory IMO I wasn't hard on it... I really can't bend the front cvds with my hands so they are beefy idk why they would bend... I ran it gently for 15mins the 1st run on 4s... I think this was a factory defect, hopefully I won't be selling this truck shortly

 

[chalmene]

That's great that you will be getting some spares now. I personally like the stock oil weight in my diffs. I get great power to the ground and don't have to bother with keeping the front down constantly, which will be a lot more likely with heavier center diff fluid. I'll go out on a limb and say you have nothing whatsoever to worry about with your axle shafts man, I would run it like it is. If it was some major bend, yes. But I highly doubt you hurt much of anything with how you ran it. I don't know how experienced you are with RC, but you should know you have a damned good truck on your hands. Put your new shaft in and forget about it lol.

 

[spence]

Thanks I will let you guys know when the order goes through, is it possible that they had some defective axle shafts that warped during their heat treating process or? That is what I believe I have 2 shafts that were bent, the left front axle was a tad bit bent but the center was extremely wobbly.. The front cvd that was bent hardly showed any wear on the dog bone pin side... I feel both of these were wonky from the factory and my excitement made me overlook that issue... I hope I don't need ANYMORE warrantied parts from arrma... I thought 500k diff fluid would allow power to the front and rear wheels, I mean when I ran it, it would do a front burnout and the wheels would balloon quite a bit and kinda bounce a little, is that what could have killed my dogbones? only 4s! I did a few launches but I thought the truck could handle it? Arrmas slogan kinda was their built tough thing... I almost wished I punished it harder, I was on primarily loose surfaces but yea... I launched a few times on gravel and dead grass... I mean could that have twisted the front shafts? I am scared to see what will happen when I replace them if they bend again... I still feel that throttle application and then the impact repeated with those wheels spinning hitting the ground hurt it, I feel a wheelie would have helped instead by allowing the power to go that way, the front dog bone pins look kind of a little beat up. Should I switch to a 500k fluid or check for diff fluid in my center diff? I really don't feel I have a killer truck rn, all I see is grief hopefully that changes... I hope the front diff gears aren't messed up going to check that out... Also another question, are the diff gears a slight spiral? Or are mine wrecked? I answered my own question I guess just by judging the pics of them on ebay there is a slight twist on the pinion diff gear. Oddly the front diff cups show no wear

 

[Stanleybb50]

The center diff is all personal preference. Funny that you almost might not know unless you tried.

I can tell you in my experience - I got to try a few different possibilities. I came from Traxxas vehicles, so I "thought" I liked a locked center (ERBE, Stampede, Slash). So when I built my ET48 truggy, I put 500k in the center. I thought it was great! But I bought this Kraton and then realized I liked the power bleeding to the front to not only take stress off the total driveline, but I really like the added control it offers in almost all situations.

I took the center diff back out of the ET48 and and went with 50 and I now feel it's perfect. Before the rear end would wanna slide out when on power in turns and it'd be prone to wheelies.

Long and short of it is that the Kraton helped me realize that I don't like thick fluid in the center. I'll probably go higher than stock, but probably somewhere around that 50k mark.

 

[spence]

I hope I got the message through, I got an undeliverable message the 1st time with hobbico, but no error the second time, I hope it went throught, I am worrying that they made me send my proof of purchase via email.... Also the kraton has a big problem, this truck is going to be a low sitter up front, lower than factory, either i grind the ends of the dogbones down to make more space, but I get binding with the droop screws factory bottomed out any suggestions? the front a arms need to move up a little, this is to prevent grinding, Honestly I would like to see my kraton do a backflip or slide around, its boring with it set up as a rocket... I hope I have no more problems.. I guess two cable ties running to stop the binding..